Tottenham star Gareth Bale has pleaded with referees to give him a break after being booked once again against Sunderland. The 23-year old Welshman was yellow carded nine minutes from time in his side’s 2-1 comeback win against Sunderland after going down for Craig Gardner’s challenge. Referee Martin Atkinson was quick to rule that he had gone ground unprompted, but replays suggest that there had been contact and Bale later pleaded his innocence.

Tottenham winger Gareth Bale rejects diving accusations

He told sky sports 2: “It’s the same thing every time-it’s the third time this season I’ve been clipped. There is nothing I can do about it- the referees have to look a bit closer. If I get contact there, it is a penalty or a free kick”

Spurs boss Andre Villas Boas was quick to leap to the defense of the Welshman, and while admitting some of his previous bookings have been warranted, insisted he had been hard done to on Wearside.

AVB said: “It’s difficult for the referees, there is no question about it, but today was a big mistake. Sometimes we have to give a little bit of comfort and credit to the player because he is being chased now and it’s a little bit unfair what he is going through, particularly because he misses a game when he was going to be the clear-out for the yellow cards.”

“It’s just the consequence of his pace, his ability and skill. People don’t want to stop him in different ways, sometimes they do it in a proper way, sometimes they have to foul. I think he understands, as I was saying, that it’s difficult for the ref’s to judge, but today was a mistake and he is penalized for the game against Reading”

Gareth Bale was also yellow carded twice last season for diving and is becoming likely to be called a “diver” after the recent incidents this season.

Opposite number Martin O’Neill had no complaints about the result despite seeing his side take the lead.

O’Neill said: “We played with a lot of commitment and a lot of heart. We got ourselves in front just before half-time and it was obviously disappointing to concede two goals in two minutes.”

“It knocked us back and while we were trying to press, Tottenham obviously had chances to make it three, but right until the end, we kept going, so I couldn’t fault the commitment of the team at all.”